Get Help with Costs of Disability Conferences, Trainings with Council Scholarship Fund

Posted on by Emma Shouse Garton
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Apply for financial help through the TN Council on Developmental Disabilities’ Scholarship Fund to attend disability or advocacy conferences and trainings!

Each year on July 1, the Council offers new funding to support Tennesseans with disabilities and family members of people with disabilities with the costs of leadership and advocacy training. The fund helps Tennesseans with disabilities and families increase their knowledge and advocacy skills, so they can connect with their communities and act as leaders. The program can reimburse you for costs like event registration fees, flights, hotels, respite or child care, personal assistance services, etc.

The fund not only supports people with disabilities and family members to attend events focused on disability issues, but also participate in other types of leadership and advocacy trainings. For example, the fund could help a person with disabilities pay for training that helps them serve as a board member for a group working on affordable housing or healthcare. Ultimately, we want to empower Tennesseans with disabilities and families to become leaders in their communities working on all sorts of causes.

Many people who use the Scholarship Fund tell us that it helps them connect to others with similar life experiences and learn about resources that improve their lives. Here’s what a few Tennesseans who have benefitted from our Scholarship Fund this past year shared about their experiences:

  • “I am an adult on the spectrum and I run a life skills autism support group. I learned ways to advocate more for myself and my group. I made connections with others and services available to me and those I serve. It has allowed me to attend a conference that is accommodating and informative that I would not otherwise be able to attend without this [scholarship].”- Chattanooga Autism Center conference attendee
  • “During the conference, I was able to meet with multiple other families who have children who are Deaf-Blind. One mother has a son my daughter’s age. We were able to connect our children, so they don’t feel as isolated…  This was a great chance to connect with other professionals and parents who were knowledgeable with the unique needs our family’s 3 children have.”- Scholarship Fund recipient
  • “We benefitted by connecting with other people in similar life situations and with similar experiences. We learned a lot about advocacy because of the strong emphasis on advocacy during the convention. We learned a lot about different companies and organizations that are benefitting the blind. The strong positive philosophy of blindness that resonates through every session gives me and my family confidence to fully engage in our world, and advocate when we encounter barriers. After attending this conference I am better equipped to live my life as a blind person.” – National Federation of the Blind convention attendee

Read more about the fund and apply on the Council’s website. If you aren’t approved for the fund for one particular year, don’t hesitate to apply again for help with the costs of attending future events … the amount of money in the program changes over the year depending on how many people and organizations apply.

Here are some upcoming national disability conferences you might explore. You can always check TN Disability Pathfinder’s event calendar for in-person and virtual disability conferences and trainings, including both free events and those that cost money.